End of cheap data? Why Airtel phasing out Rs 299 plan signals industry-wide tariff shift

Bharti Airtel has discontinued several of its cheaper prepaid data packs earlier this week, including a Rs 299 plan that offered 1GB a day. The move is essentially seen as a step to nudge subscribers towards pricier options. Is this the beginning of a broader trend? Axis Securities believes so.

As per a recent report by Axis Securities, this pattern will likely continue through the rest of the financial year, as operators lean on premium plans, data-hungry customers and new business lines to lift revenue, even as the pace of network spending starts to ease.